Bauer Pottery Company of Los Angeles

Holiday Sale Weekend 2 & Final Weekend Preview

2011-12-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

We had another great weekend at the showroom, while managing to avoid this week's rain. Thank you to everyone who came by for a visit. We hope that everyone was able to find a little something for themselves or were able to check off a name or two on their shopping list.

Did you get some tomato soup and a sandwich from the Grilled Cheese Truck on Saturday? We fueled up midday with some mac & cheese and short rib grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of tater tots.

While we've had two great weekends, but we still have a lot of pottery at the showroom. If you're around and still need to do some shopping, you should come by this weekend. We're taking an additional 30% off of the already discounted sticker prices!

This Saturday & Sunday, December 17 & 18 will be the last day's to shop at the showroom until March, 2012. These are the best prices you'll get on Bauer Pottery anywhere at any time, so don't miss out.

If great deals on Bauer, Russel Wright, Sunset and Corita pottery aren't enough, we'll have the Pie n' Burger truck stopping by for lunch on Saturday. If you're a Southern California resident, especially from the San Gabriel Valley, you've probably grown up with Pie n' Burger. If not, we'll give you two guesses as to what they do well. If you said, "Shakes and fries," you'd also be right. They were recently featured in the L.A. Weekly's "30 Burgers in 30 Days".

So, come by and shop, eat and be merry!

Visit the Holiday Sale page for all of the details.

More pictures from this past weekend...

There are always some early arrivals.

The Grilled Cheese Truck has landed!

Photos by Bauer Pottery, except Pie n' Burger Truck by Pie n' Burger, Pie n' Burger Cheeseburger by Guzzle & Nosh

Holiday Sale - Weekend 2 Preview

2011-12-08T13:34:00.001-08:00

The second weekend of the Holiday Sale is just around the corner, so we're going to throw out a refresher for both returning a first time shoppers.

The Bauer Pottery showroom is where all of our "seconds" end up. What are seconds? They are the not-quite-perfect pieces that come out of the factory. Nothing broken, nothing chipped, just a little glaze skip here, a pinhole there. Most of the time we have to point out the flaw to our customers. Our standards are pretty high, if we do say so ourselves (and we do say so).

Since the pieces are not firsts, the prices aren't either. Everything in the showroom starts at 30% off of retail. If a piece is slightly less than a second, we'll knock off a few more dollars. The added bonus at the Holiday Sale is that we double down on the discounts. Last weekend was an additional 20% off of the discounted showroom price. This weekend, that discount goes up to 25%.

Another reason to come to the Holiday Sale this weekend? Grilled cheese!

It's been over 20 months since their last visit, but the Grilled Cheese Truck will be making another stop at the showroom this Saturday, from 11am to 2pm. That means buttery crunchy bread, melty cheese, tomato-y soup and so much more deliciousness.

What's that? You don't live near Southern California, but you still would like to shop for seconds? We have you covered. Starting on December 19th, we'll post a selection of seconds on our web store. Since it takes a bit more work to move pieces back to the factory to pack and ship, the discounts aren't quite as deep, but you're still getting a great deal. The only possible downside is that the online seconds will not ship until after the first of the year. Just think of it as an after-Christmas sale that you get to shop before Christmas.

Subscribe to our email list, keep checking our Holiday Sale page or like us on Facebook for all of the updates and news about all of the holiday sales.

Holiday Sale - Weekend 1 Review

2011-12-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

It seems like just two weeks ago it was Thanksgiving and now we're already into the the thick of the Christmas season. One weekend down and one (or is it two?) more to go for the annual Holiday Sale. The first weekend was a great success for both Bauer and for our customers, who made off with some beautiful pottery at a great price.

It's always nice to seem familiar faces who come by year in and year out and we're always glad to welcome the newcomers to the showroom. If you're in town and can stop by, please come visit us this weekend.

We had two great food trucks over the past weekend. Lidia's Dominican Kitchen was here on Saturday serving up great Dominican food. I had a Patacon Pisao, a pork sandwich, with plantains in the place of bread. Sunday, the Crispy Waffle & Frite truck made a lunch stop, serving up Liège (a.k.a. Belgian) waffles, in both sweet and savory varieties. The special Bacon, Brie & Basil waffle was great and if you like sweet, do not miss the Speculoos n' Cream.

Scroll down for a few more images from this past weekend...

Though there's plenty of pottery to go around, there's always a few who arrive before the doors open.

Moments after the doors open.

Lidia's Dominican Kitchen & the Patacon Pisao

Crispy Waffle & Frite truck and their Bacon, Brie & Basil Waffle

I get to include a picture of this pooch, the sweetest Blue Heeler named Cookie, because there's a Ringware Dog Bowl behind her.

For more details including hours, directions and more, please visit our Holiday Sale page.

2011 Holiday Sale!

2011-11-18T12:30:00.000-08:00

It seems like just 12 months ago we were telling you about last year's annual Holiday Sale.

If you can think past next week's festivities and feasting and football, take a moment to jot down the dates for this year's sale in your calendar (iPhone 4s users just ask Siri to remind you).

Saturday & Sunday
December 3 & 4 and 10 & 11
9am - 5pm
We have lots of pottery on the shelves, as we do every year. We'll also have some new pieces from the Corita by Bauer line.

We're also excited to have some great food trucks back for the sale. Starting of on the first Saturday, December 3rd, we'll have Lidia's Dominican Kitchen.

They serve up great Dominican fare, as you may have already surmised. I'd recommend the Pernil or the Patacon Pisao.

For complete information on the sale, visit the Holiday Sale page.

Pictures from around the showroom

2011-09-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

Rosslyn Pots in Federal Blue and Bauer Orange

Seconds in Parrot Green, Bauer Yellow & Aqua

Russel Wright American Modern dinnerware in Coral, Sea Foam, Chartreuse, White & Granite

Corita by Bauer, coming soon

Bauer Gift Certificates Available During the KCRW Pledge Drive

2011-08-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

We already know that you’re a fan of Bauer Pottery, but if you also enjoy public radio, why not combine your passions and support KCRW? Their bi-annual pledge drive started last night and to support their fund raising, we’ve given ten $100 gift certificates as pledge premiums.

You can listen over the air all over Southern California, anywhere with an internet connection at or on your Android, Blackberry or iPhone.

Gift certificates can be redeemed over the phone (888) 213-0800 or at our showroom in Los Angeles, were you can purchase discounted seconds. Either way, you will also receive an additional discount when you show us your KCRW Fringe Benefits card.

In addition to the Bauer gift certificate and the Fringe Benefits card, you’ll be entered into all sorts of sweepstakes and daily drawings for prizes including trips to Barcelona, laptops, iPads and more. Listen to the pledge drive or check their web site for more details.

The Bauer gift certificates are only available at the time they are announced on the air, so you need to be listening when they make the announcement and then you can call in and claim one for yourself. The pledge line is (800) 600-KCRW or (800) 600-5279.

KCRW 89.9FM

Pottery Repair & Restoration by Yesterware

2011-08-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

Oil Jar during repair (left) and after (right)

We get the call once or twice a month.

A semi-distraught voice tells us how a vintage piece of Bauer, which has been in the family for a generation or two, got chipped, cracked or broken.

"Do you do repairs?"

"Can you match this glaze?"

"Do you sell a kit?"

Our answer to all of this type of question regrettably has been "no." We've also never had a good place to refer anyone for this type of work, until now.

We found Mike & Netta Yaeck while shopping for some vintage pieces on eBay. They were selling a Bauer Honey Jar bottom with a reproduction lid that they had made. After purchasing the honey jar from them we wanted to find out more about how they came to making vintage Bauer reproductions.

Mike & Netta have been working under the company name Yesterware out of their studio in Bakersfield for the past 10 years. While they were both collectors, they were not in the pottery business before Yesterware. He was a general contractor and she was a silversmith.

This Rebekah Vase was missing a handle before Yesterware created a new one.

Wanting to repair some of their own pieces, they researched repair techniques and started fixing up pottery as a hobby. The hobby became a full-time job and now they do a lot of custom work for auction houses as well as taking in private jobs.

Their service starts at $75.00 to repair chips and goes up from there. In addition to chip repair, they can fix cracks, reassemble broken pieces and even reproduce entire parts, as we found out with our honey pot.

If you have a piece that you'd like repaired, please call Mike & Netta at (661) 32-BAUER [22837] or by email at nyaeck@bak.rr.com.

Of course, if you need to replace a piece with some Bauer 2000, you can always give us a call!

* * *
Bottom photo: D&M Tile, Los Angeles, circa 1930, repaired by Yesterware
All photos courtesy of Mike & Netta Yaeck of Yesterware.

Russel Wright Honored as a "Pioneer of American Industrial Design" by the U.S. Postal Service

2011-07-06T12:09:00.000-07:00

How does one measure the irony that you are probably reading this piece about a United States Postal Service stamp because you were directed here from an email?

While your minds are boggling, please take note that just last week the USPS issued a collection of stamps honoring "Pioneers of American Industrial Design." Among the twelve honorees is the designer of American Modern® dinnerware, Russel Wright.

Though the image on the stamp is of Wright's flatware and not his pottery, we're still very excited about the recognition of his contributions to American industrial design. The Postal Service describes his work as follows:

Specializing in household products, Russel Wright revolutionized the way we live at home. He designed at a time when growing numbers of Americans were shedding the prim conventions of the early 20th century in favor of simple and informal practicality. During his career, Wright created affordable modern furniture and tableware characterized by minimal but elegant forms. Each stainless-steel piece of Highlight/Pinch flatware (pictured on the stamp) featured an organically shaped handle and no applied ornament. Wright designed the flatware in 1950 to complement his many lines of tableware.

Wright in his New York studio (c. 1944)

The other designers honored on the stamp sheet are Peter Müller-Munk, Frederick Hurten Rhead, Raymond Loewy, Donald Deskey, Walter Dorwin Teague, Henry Dreyfuss, Norman Bel Geddes, Dave Chapman, Greta von Nessen, Eliot Noyes, Gilbert Rohde and Robert Heller.

The collection of stamps is available via the USPS online Postal Store and at your local Post Office.

* * *

Photos courtesy of the United States Postal Service (top & bottom) and Russel Wright Studios (middle)

The Grill Plate

2011-05-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

The shape is familiar to you.

You recognize it, yes, but something's different.

It's... it's not dull and white.

Oh! It's not made of paper or styrofoam. It's pottery. Beautiful glazed earthenware. What else? Five colors? Five gorgeous Bauer colors* you say?

Yes, the classic Bauer Grill Plate is available once again. Modeled in three sections and measuring eleven inches across, the Grill Plate is available in Bauer Orange, Bauer Yellow, Turquoise, Aqua and Federal Blue, as pictured above.

Did you think, like I did, that the sectioned plate was the introduced circa-whenever you first saw one as a kid?

The real answer is we don't know exactly when it was invented. It probably is not an original Bauer design, but J.A. Bauer Pottery did manufacture these plates as early as the 1930s.

Click here to begin shopping for the Grill Plate now.

(Click on the four arrows on the bottom right for the full-screen view.)

*Okay, we're making it in white too, for nostalgia sake, but you already have an idea of what that looks like.

Bauer & American Modern on the Food Network

2011-05-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

Shrimp skewers and yogurt sauce.

Everyone outside of Los Angeles thinks that everyone inside Los Angeles has something or another to do with Hollywood. This is not true. I mean, we make pottery. What have we got to do with the movies? Last time I checked pottery was not integral to the film making process.

Then, of course, someone comes along and decides to ruin my point. Actually, my point was ruined years ago. Bauer Pottery has been showing up in movies as far back as the days of the Marx Brothers and Shirley Temple. In more recent decades, one might have seen Bauer pottery in movies such as The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Short Cuts and Because I Said So (we're told that Diane Keaton is a Bauer collector).

Current television viewers have pointed out that on the appropriately-titled Modern Family, the Dunphy kitchen is fully outfitted with American Modern^® pottery.

Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) is framed by American Modern^® Lug Bowls and Coffee Cups.

A new place to see a lot of Bauer and Russel Wright pottery is on the Food Network, specifically Bobby Flay's show Grill It!

Check your local listings or the Food Network site to find air dates and times for the show or you can catch some clips below. Click on the still images to enlarge.

Flay with an American Modern Lug Bowl in hand and plating on a Chop Platter.

The final dish, Pork Tenderloin Greek Salad on an American Modern Chop Platter.

Watch the clip here.

Claire Robinson preparing a stuffed tenderloin. Bauer Ringware Vase and Tumbler in Lime Green bottom left.

Stuffed tenderloin plated on a Bauer Yellow 14" Round Platter.

Watch the clip here.

Shrimp skewers and yogurt sauce. Photo at the top of the post. Watch the clip here.

Click here for more stills from Grill It!

Copyright for photos & video from Grill It! by the Food Network and photo from Modern Family by ABC.

Historic Palos Verdes Homes Tour

2011-04-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

The Palos Verdes Arts Center recently held their annual Historic Homes Tour fundraiser in the coastal suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The event supports visual arts exhibition, education and community outreach programs by non-profit arts center.

One of the three historic residences on the tour is owned by Bauer customer and collector John Phillips. John invited Bauer Pottery to augment his personal collection by providing an outdoor table setting.

The vintage Bauer designs fit in perfectly with the 1920s home.

"All three residences, selected because of their historical significance in the early development of the area, were built in the mid to late 1920s. All three are variations of the Spanish Revival architecture - popular in that era - each has its own unique features and colorful history."
- Palos Verdes Arts Center

Photos by John Phillips

Shallow Dog Bowl on Dwell.com

2011-04-25T12:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Dwell.com for the mention of the Shallow Dog Bowl as their "Product of the Day." We appreciate the love and we're fans of you too!

Home By Sunset Collection Spring Sale

2011-04-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

For a limited time, prices for the entire Home By Sunset Collection are reduced by 30%. Take advantage of these Spring prices while you're shopping for Mother's Day or planning your 2011 garden. Sale runs through Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8th, 2011.

View a slideshow of the collection below, or just click now and start filling your home and garden with beautiful pieces from our Home By Sunset Collection.

Click the "expand" button in the bottom, right hand corner for a beautiful, full-screen slide show!

April Showroom Sale

2011-04-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

We've bypassed Spring and gone right into Summer here in L.A. Get out and enjoy the warm weather and stop by the Bauer Showroom while you're at it.

We'll be here, Saturday and Sunday, April 2nd and 3rd.

Full details are available on the Showroom Sale page.

We've got lots and lots of pottery and some special deals only available at the Showroom on Dinner Plates, Salad Plates and 16 inch Oil Jars.

March 2011 Showroom Sale with the Ragin' Cajun

2011-03-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for the first Showroom Sale of 2011?

Are we?

Regardless, the doors of the Showroom will swing open this coming weekend. As always we'll have great deals on factory seconds from the Bauer Pottery and Russel Wright® American Modern® dinnerware lines.

Serving lunch from 11am-2pm will be the Ragin' Cajun Cafe on Wheels. You may remember them from such television shows as the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race". They'll be letting the bon temps and the shrimp po' boys roulez in the parking lot for all of you hungry shoppers.

Shrimp Po' Boy

If you'd like a virtual experience of the Showroom Sale, take a look at this slide show we put together via our Flickr page. It's a collection of shots from sales over the past year or so.

Full details, including dates, times, directions and more are available on the Showroom Sale page.

(Ragin Cajun truck and food photos by Guzzle & Nosh)

Arrangements by Flora Grubb

2011-02-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

Some lovely arrangements using our Madagascar vases from Flora Grubb Gardens of San Francisco. Click on the image above to enlarge.

Pinnacle Vase in Apartment Therapy

2011-02-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

Take a look at this house tour post by Apartment Therapy from last month.

A lovely Aqua Pinnacle Vase makes an appearance in the first photo.

(If you see Bauer or Russel Wright pottery showing up online, in a magazine, on TV or elsewhere, let us know so that we can share it here.)

New (Old) Nesting (Mixing) Bowls

2011-01-18T16:52:00.000-08:00

Take a deep breath.

Clear your head.

This is going to be one of those things.

Let's start with a happy new year to everyone! Most people get a little lull after the first of the year. We're into the third week of January and we're just now wrapping up all of our post-holiday sale shipping. The sheer volume of orders coupled with the fact that heavy rains here in Southern California took out most of our phone service and all of our internet connection at the factory and we've had a heck of a 2011 so far.

Now let's get to the exciting and confusing news. We've got a new item to introduce to you. Actually, it's not a new item in that it's both a vintage Bauer design as well as a piece we've been selling for several years now. Plus, it's not just one item but six.

We're very happy to finally launch* the Bauer Classic Style Mixing Bowl set on our web site. As you may know, we've been selling four sizes of what have been alternately called "Mixing Bowls," "Nested Mixing Bowls" or "Nesting Bowls." We will continue to make and sell this style, which going forward will be called "Bauer 2000 Mixing Bowls." They will continue to be available in the four sizes (7, 8, 9 & 10 inch) and 15 colors.

Bauer Classic Style Mixing Bowls: #9 Bauer Yellow, #12 Bauer Orange, #18 Turquoise, #24 Federal Blue

Bauer 2000 Mixing Bowls: 10" French Blue, 9" Lime Green, 8" Midnight Blue, 7" Chartreuse

The "new" set of bowls will be called the "Bauer Classic Style Mixing Bowls." This set will be available in six sizes and 15 colors. The Classic Style Bowl sizes are distinguished by numbers on the underside of each bowl. The larger the number the smaller the bowl, thus the #30 bowl is the smallest, and they continue up through #24, #18, #12, #9 with #6 as the largest. The middle four bowls (#24, #18, #12 & #9) are essentially same size as the four pieces in Bauer 2000 set of bowls.

Why are we causing all of this confusion? Well, when we started reproducing the mixing bowl set, the models were not as exact a reproduction of the ringware bowl set as we had hoped. Regardless of how we felt about them, they were still very popular. The Sundance catalog featured them for several years and we still sell many of them every month.

While the original bowls were flying off the shelves, we went back to the drawing board, or rather our model-maker's table, and made a new set of mixing bowls. These bowls reproduced the vintage bowls much more accurately. The rings were thicker, the rim was less flared out and the overall shape was more round and full. Both sets are lovely and most people can't really see much of a difference until they're side by side and we point out them out.

The easiest way to distinguish between the two styles is to turn one over and look at the bottom mark. A Bauer 2000 bowl reads "BAUER POTTERY LOS ANGELES" around the outside with "2000" stamped across the middle. A Classic Style bowl reads "BAUER POTTERY USA" round the ring and is also stamped with a "2000" across the middle, but below the "2000" is the size of the bowl: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 or 30.

Bauer 2000 Mixing Bowl bottom mark

Bauer Classic Style Mixing Bowl bottom mark

So, why keep the first set of bowls if the second version is a more accurate reproduction? There are a couple reasons. The first being that a lot of people bought the Bauer 2000 set and sometimes want to add to their set or replace a broken or lost piece. We'd hate to leave all those people with no recourse but to buy a whole new set of bowls. Second, the pieces in the two sets cannot be mixed with one another and still nest properly. A Classic #12 does not sit properly inside a Bauer 2000 10 inch bowl and so forth.

Hopefully, this clarifies rather than confuses the situation. We are very excited to finally make these bowls more widely available. Please feel free to give us a call or send email with any questions you might have about our nested mixing bowls.

To shop for either style of Nested Mixing Bowl, click here now.

*Extra points to those who noticed that the Classic Style Bowls have been the header image for the Bauer blog since it launched.

Happy Holidays!(...and don't forget to shop the online sale)

2010-12-22T15:49:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who shopped at our showroom, online or at one of our many retailers in 2010. We know that though things are getting better slowly, not everyone's back on their feet and ready to buy multiple place settings of ringware.

We appreciate every single one of you, starting with the folks who are just picking up one piece at a time. We hope that the colors of Bauer Pottery were able to brighten everyone's day just a little this year and going forward into 2011.

The showroom is now closed for the holidays and the factory will be taking off some time between Christmas and New Year's, but this may be the best time of year to shop. You can still get some great deals on our factory seconds from our online store. Visit our Holiday Sale page for the link to the seconds sale. The online sale will stay open til 5pm (PST) on Monday, January 3, 2011.

Until next year, we leave you with a few colorful images from the last day of our Holiday Sale at the showroom.

Janek awash in a sea of Russel Wright American Modern Pitchers.

Some of this stuff is still available via the online seconds sale!

See you in 2011!

Bauer Pottery on the Fran Drescher Show

2010-12-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

A programming note for all you Bauer Pottery fans: Tune into the Fran Drescher Show tomorrow, Friday, December 17, and watch the segment with designer Kathryn Ireland. There should be a full table set with Bauer Pottery. We weren't able to get any screen shots before air, but we'll post something up as soon as we can.

The show is syndicated, so you'll have to check your local listings for channels and times. It's on at noon on Fox in New York City and 2pm on Fox in Los Angeles. It seems to be on Fox affiliates in most markets and runs somewhere between noon and 2pm. Their official page has listings for most major cities.

New and vintage Bauer and Russel Wright Pottery has appeared recently on shows like Mad Men, Modern Family , The Today Show and Heroes. If you see Bauer or Russel Wright on TV or the movies, let us know and we'll share it here.

Final Showroom Sale Day of 2010

2010-12-16T10:36:00.001-08:00

Since we've got the pottery and one more weekend before Christmas, we're going to throw in one more sale date for 2010.

Come by the Showroom on Saturday, December 18, and you'll get an additional discount off of the already low seconds prices.

Another reason to stop by the sale, Ride or Fry (a.k.a. Dante Fried Chicken) will be stopping by the sale to serve up his great fried chicken and sides. They may not get the same press as fusion tacos, but this is easily one of the best new food trucks in L.A.

Click here for all of the details on Holiday Sale.

Scenes from the Holiday Sale 2010 - Weekend 2

2010-12-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

Try as you might, all of you wonderful Bauer fans have not been able to buy every last item from the showroom. What that means is that we'll be here for one more day, Saturday, December 18, for the last sale day in 2010.

We have plenty of pottery and you'll still be able to get great deals for yourself or the couple of friends still on your shopping list.

Not in L.A? Don't worry, our online sale will launch on Monday, December 20 at noon (PST). Visit our Holiday Sale page on Monday to shop.

Until then, a few scenes from weekend two of the sale.

Janek talks with Chef Jack of Clean Street Food Truck. Clean Street was a last minute addition to Saturday and they were great. They've been on the road for barely a week, but everyone loved their food.

Grilled steak sandwich from Clean Street Food.

Decisions, decisions...

On Sunday, Jessica & Christina of Global Soul Street Eats stopped by to serve up lunch to our customers and crew. Their menu was another hit. Track them down on the streets of L.A. as soon as you can.

Shrimp Toastie and Babylon Taco from Global Soul Street Eats.

For more details on the final day of the sale, visit our Holiday Sale page.

Scenes from the Holiday Sale 2010 - Weekend 1

2010-12-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Did you miss the first weekend of the Holiday Sale? Well, that's okay because there will be plenty more Bauer and Russel Wright pottery available this weekend at the Showroom.

We don't have a food truck scheduled for Saturday [UPDATE: Overnight, we had a late addition to Saturday's schedule. Clean Street Food Truck will be coming by for the lunch our on Saturday 12/11, 11am-2pm!], but all of you Sunday shoppers will have a chance to sample cuisine from Global Soul Street Eats, one of L.A.'s newest street food vendors.

Look at their menu and you'll see that "global" is the keyword with Global Soul featuring items like the curry Shrimp Toastie (below left), Middle Eastern flavored Babylon Taco (below right) and the Mediterranean-influenced Mini Lamb Gyros. We suggest shopping for pottery first and then relaxing with some great street food from around the world after.

We look forward to seeing you at the showroom soon, until then please enjoy the following images from this past weekend's sale.

Minutes before the doors open.

Last minute pricing on American Modern.

Even after waiting for over an hour in the cold, Bauer fans are happy and eager to shop.

The doors are open and the rush is on.

South Philly Experience served up awesome Philly cheese steaks on Saturday.

Frysmith stopped by on Sunday and fed the masses with tasty topped fries.

Miriam, Janek's mum, is in town from London for the holiday season and for the holiday sale.

Visit our Flickr page for more images from the Showroom Sale.

Holiday Sale 2010!

2010-12-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

The temperature has finally dropped below the mid-80s, so it must be the holiday season in Southern California. If you're in town for the first couple of weekends in December, please come by our showroom for the annual Holiday Sale. All of the details, including location, dates and times, can be found on the Holiday Sale page.

In addition to a big inventory of Bauer Pottery seconds, we'll also have Russel Wright^® American Modern^TM and for the first time, we'll have selections from the Home by Sunset collection available at the sale.

We know that everyone can't make it to the sale in person, so once again we'll be offering seconds via our online store. The online sale will be open from Monday, December 20 at 12pm (PST) through Monday, January 3 at 5pm. Check back on the Holiday Sale page for the link to the sale on December 20.

Please note that seconds ordered via the web store will not be shipped until after the holidays.

We're also very excited to have several of L.A.'s popular new food trucks stopping by the sale. So far, we've confirmed the South Philly Experience for Saturday, December 4 and Frysmith for Sunday December 5. Check back here or on the Holiday Sale page for news about trucks scheduled for the rest of the sale.

We're looking forward to seeing you at the showroom!

Photo by Andrew Takeuchi

Bauer Holiday Sale in Los Angeles Magazine

2010-11-29T13:55:00.001-08:00

From the December 2010 issue of Los Angeles magazine, page 66.

Photo by Mike Berkofsky.

A Story of Veal & Russel Wright Glassware

2010-11-24T14:55:00.000-08:00

Please enjoy the following humorous Thanksgiving story from the Moth Radio Hour via NPR's "All Things Considered":

A Veal Surprise Shatters A Family's Turkey Day

Last Showroom Sale Til December Featuring the Nom Nom Truck

2010-09-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Like you, we're all a little amazed that it's September.

With the end of Summer, also comes the final Showroom Sale until the holidays.

The weekend of September 11th & 12th will be the last time you can shop for seconds until after Thanksgiving.

Have any Fall birthday gifts to pick up? Need a something to help you decorate for Halloween or for your Thanksgiving table? Well, now is your last chance to shop for Bauer at a discount before Winter.

With our final sale of the Summer also comes our last food truck stop until December. We've been trying to track down the Nom Nom Truck for several months, but if you are a fan of the Food Network, you'll know that they've been driving all across the U.S. as part of The Great Food Truck Race.

We're looking forward to nomming some of their delicious banh mi sandwiches and Vietnamese-inspired tacos. What is banh mi? It's the perfect combination of French and Vietnamese flavors all on soft and crunchy baguette.

Watch the Nom Nom team competing on the Food Network Sunday and Wednesday, and then come out and try their food next Saturday, September 11!

* * * * * * *
Showroom Sale
Saturday & Sunday
September 11 & 12, 2010
10am - 5pm

Click above for more information.

Top photo by Jack Rowland, all other photos courtesy of the Nom Nom Truck

Beautiful Arrangements by Flora Grubb

2010-08-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

Just a little eye candy for all you Bauer fans out there.

Take a look at this set of photos posted by Flora Grubb of San Francisco, California. Gorgeous floral and succulent arrangements in a Home by Sunset Canoe Pot, a couple Madagascar Vases, a Jardiniere, a mini Oil Jar and a Stock Vase.

Photos by Flora Grubb

Support Public Radio, Get Some Bauer Pottery

2010-08-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of Bauer Pottery, great music and NPR programs, you can support all of those habits by subscribing to KCRW during the current pledge drive.

We've provided the Los Angeles-based public radio station KCRW with ten $100.00 gift certificates that they are offering as premiums this week.

Please note, that you do not have to be in the Los Angeles area to take advantage of this offer. KCRW streams live over the internet, so you can call in and subscribe from anywhere.

Gift certificates are redeemable over the phone or in-person at our Showroom & Holiday Sales.

Now we don't know when they'll offer the Bauer gift certificates, so you'll have to listen for your chance, but there are far worse things that you can do than spend some time listening to KCRW.

Dante Fried Chicken Coming to the Showroom on Saturday

2010-08-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

Just confirmed for this weekend's Showroom Sale, Dante Fried Chicken will be stopping by on Saturday the 7th.

A mix of party host, art promoter and self-proclaimed "chicken connoisseur," owner Dante Gonzales is bringing more than just a new kind of fried chicken to the streets of Los Angeles. In addition to his great food, the truck will also serve as a rolling radio studio for live broadcasts from the road. Gonzales, a relocated by way of Europe New Yorker, debuts his truck this week and the Bauer Pottery Showroom is one of the first places you'll be able to try his fare.

I got to sample his creations over this past weekend and everything was great, even the tofu! (That said, don't miss out on the chicken or the mac & cheese.)

You can see Dante's menu here and read more about this newest addition to L.A.'s street food scene here.

August Showroom Sale

2010-08-04T12:03:00.000-07:00

Our August Showroom Sale is coming up this weekend, Saturday & Sunday, the 8th & 9th. Click on the link for all of the details or call us with any questions. (We're still working on a lunch truck for Saturday and we'll post here as soon as it's locked down.)

Russel Wright Hall of Shame

2010-08-03T13:31:00.001-07:00

While we spend most of our day making new pottery for both the Bauer 2000 and Russel Wright American Modern lines, we are still cognizant of what has come before. We like to know what people are doing with their vintage pottery collections.

We see lovely pictures of hutches filled with colorful pieces from both lines on Flickr and Facebook. We see people buying and selling collections on eBay. However, every so often we run across something like the Russel Wright Hall of Shame.

Now fans of Wright should fear not. These are not missteps by the revered designer. Instead, they are pieces of his design that some collectors decided were not quite finished or needed to be enhanced.

Some people see a plate, cup & saucer. Others see a wall sconce...

We know all too well that sometimes a lid gets broken or lost. This practical marriage of two different pieces almost looks like this sugar bowl was left in dark basement where nature just took its course

Sometimes an artist can't help but see an everyday object as a blank canvas...

Sometimes the artist should just have appreciated the beauty of his or her would-be canvas...

Other times, the paint should be locked safely away from the would-be artist...

Head on over to the Russel Wright Hall of Shame for many more examples.

If you have come across any "enhanced" Bauer or Russel Wright pottery, let us know in the comments so we can share it with everyone.

Summer Beverageware Sale!

2010-07-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

The July 4th Weekend may have passed, but surely that won't be the last weekend of BBQing before summer's done. So, what goes best with something straight off the grill? A cold beverage, of course.

Is there a better way to serve up summer drinks than from a Bauer Pottery pitcher and tumbler? We don't think so.

To keep those summer meals refreshing and fun, we're offering our Catalina Pitchers, Bauer Tumblers and Monterey Tumblers all at 20% off for the month of July.

Just head over to our online store and place your order now. Supplies are limited, so when we're out, we're out.

UPDATE: This sale has been extended through Sunday, August 9th, but time's running out, so order now!

July Showroom Sale & Philly Cheesesteaks

2010-07-06T11:39:00.000-07:00

Remember how those Independence Day fireworks burst with color? You can capture a bit of that color for your table and home with the addition of some Bauer Pottery. Come by our Showroom Sale on July 10th & 11th and you'll get great deals on all the colors of Bauer Pottery.

In addition to Bauer Pottery, we have plenty of our reissue of Russel Wright's American Modern available. There's also a nice display of our collection for Home by Sunset^TM. We don't have any seconds available in the Sunset collection, but you can order firsts for delivery or for pick-up at the Showroom

If a 4th of July weekend of BBQs wasn't enough for you, then be sure to stop by this Saturday for an American original, the Philly Cheesesteak.

The latest in our lineup of visiting food trucks will be South Philly Experience, bringing true Philly Cheesesteaks to sunny Southern California. Try a classic cheesesteak or a variation like Pizza Steak, Buffalo Steak or even Veggie Italian (L.A. cliches be damned!)

South Philly Experience also carries a supply of Hank's sodas (including Birch Beer), Herr's chips and Tastykakes for dessert.

Sunset Magazine's Celebration Weekend

2010-06-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

To celebrate this year's launch of our Home by Sunset^TM line, Janek headed up Sunset magazine's Menlo Park headquarters to participate in their annual Celebration Weekend.

If you haven't seen it yet, the Home by Sunset^TM line is collection of seven new and classic styles in three colors: Aqua, Bauer Orange and White.

Our booth was made even more spectacular by arrangements designed specifically for our pottery by acclaimed San Francisco garden shop Flora Grubb, such as the White Jardiniere above.

White Biltmore and Canoe's with arrangements by Flora Grubb.

What the heck is that Aqua thing behind that arrangement? Shape of things to come...

Janek's all smiles with visitors in the booth and the Oil Jar Fountain working like gangbusters.

Did you visit the Bauer booth at the Celebration Weekend? Send us links to your pictures.

(Photos by Jack Rowland (from the top: 1 & 4), Ruth Ammon (2, 3 & 5))

Comfort Truck at the June Showroom Sale

2010-06-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

Coming up this weekend at the monthly Showroom sale, in addition to great deals on Bauer and Russel Wright Pottery, we'll also have a visit from the Comfort Truck.

The Comfort Truck is the rolling kitchen of Chef Brian Hill, who was featured on the first season of Bravo's Top Chef and more recently on the Food Network's Private Chefs of Beverly Hills.

Chef Brian will be arriving early, so all of you early shoppers will get a chance to sample his great selection of sliders.

Golden Fried Chicken Sliders

Jerk Beef Sliders

(Want to follow the Comfort Truck as well as some of the best of L.A.'s other new food trucks? Try out the Road Stoves app for the iPhone.)

Bauer Pottery T-Shirts

2010-05-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

Small "Orange Ink Stamp" logo on front side.

If you've been to a recent Showroom sale, you may have seen the Bauer employees wearing t-shirts with the company logo on the back.

We've been selling those shirts at the sale, but are thinking of offering them via the web site.

We have them in several different colors and sizes.

The back side bears the company's "Oil Jar" logo surrounded by three rings.

Over the left breast on the front side we have made a version with the "Orange Ink Stamp" logo (top of this post) or with the "Highland California" text (above).

Let us know what you think. Which style to you like best? Which colors would you like to see?

Images of the Factory

2010-05-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

Bauer Pottery Factory exterior, Highland, CA.

Palm trees and cell phone tree next to factory.

Neighboring buildings and San Gabriel Mountains rising behind factory.

(Photo treatments courtesy of Hipstamatic app for iPhone.)

Scenes from the May 2010 Showroom Sale

2010-05-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

About 30 Bauer fans were ready and waiting when the showroom doors opened at 10am...

...and the rush was on!

We had plenty of bowls available this month.

Bauer demis for all you espresso drinkers!
(We haven't added them to the web site yet, so call us if you'd like to order.)

Janek waits for his lunch order from the Patty Wagon.

They serve up great sliders and fries. All the beef is from 100% grass fed cattle and the fries are made from organic potatoes. Try the fries with garlic and rosemary.

At the end of the day we celebrated Owen's birthday with carrot cake. Short on birthday candles, Owen blew out one of the few remaining American Bee candles.

What's that you say? You love the American Bee candles and you want more? Well, stay tuned...

May Showroom Sale Preview

2010-04-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Since we made you wait an extra week between the March and April sales, we've decided to shave off one week between the April and May sales. That means the next Showroom Sale is this coming weekend, May 1st and 2nd!

If you've been waiting to pot your flowers and balcony vegetable gardens until you got just the right piece, may we suggest you peruse our selection of garden pieces available in sizes from small to pretty darn large.

Thinking about heading outdoors for Spring bar-b-ques and back yard parties? Well, you're going to need some some bright new serving pieces to complement the beautiful weather. We've got everything you're looking for and more.

Continuing in our series of visiting food trucks, this month we've go the Patty Wagon stopping by with their delicious, 100% grass-fed beef sliders and some of the best fries we've had lately.

Patty Wagon will be "doors up" starting at 11am on Saturday only.

If these pictures don't do it for you, take a look at their menu and try to control the drooling til the weekend.

10" Luncheon Plate

2010-04-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

Dinner Plate in Bauer Yellow, Luncheon Plate in Parrot Green, Salad Plate in Bauer Orange

While our 11 Inch Dinner Plate is a great piece of dinnerware, it can be a bit overwhelming for the average person. Reasonably-sized portions are dwarfed in this huge disk. Additionally, many people have found that our standard dinner plate will not fit in their kitchen cabinets, not if they want to close them anyway.

Enter the 10 Inch Luncheon Plate.

One wouldn't think that that one inch would make that much of a difference, but it does. In addition to being slightly smaller around than the Dinner Plate, the Luncheon Plate is not as deep as its curvaceous bigger sister.

The Luncheon Plate is available now via our online store and retails for $26.00.

Scenes from the April Showroom Sale

2010-04-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

Sunflowers and t-shirts are blooming this Spring at the Showroom

Berry Bowls galore.

Sugars, Tumblers, Platters, Butter Dishes, Carafes...

Owen puts on some last minute finishing touches before we open.

Bauer fans line up before we open. The earliest arrivals were at the door over an hour before our 10am opening time!

Seconds after 10am...

This month's truck comes from Fairfax Avenue's own Canter's Delicatessen.

Janek stands guard over the pastrami, rye bread and matzo ball soup.

See you all next month!

April Showroom Sale & Canter's Truck

2010-04-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

So, everyone's had a chance to rest up after the Spring holidays and break, right? Well, not over here at the Bauer factory. We know that you all are going to be knocking down our doors come this weekend's Showroom Sale, so we've been busy preparing.

As usual, we'll have a large assortment of Bauer Pottery and Russel Wright^® American Modern^TM available at a great discount. We'll also be taking orders on pieces from the Bauer collection for Home By Sunset (firsts only).

If you've been to the last few showroom sales, you probably had a chance to sample food from one of L.A.'s newest culinary trends, the nouveau food truck. We've had visits from Kogi BBQ, the Grilled Cheese Truck, the Buttermilk Truck and Get Shaved.

This Saturday, we're excited to have the brand new Canter's Delicatessen Truck stopping by the showroom. Canter's is an old name in L.A. restaurants, but a new one on the road. They will be offering a selection of your favorite sandwiches from Canter's as well as some sides and matzo ball soup!

We're looking forward to seeing you all this weekend!

Russel Wright in Modernism Magazine

2010-04-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

Fans of Russel Wright the designer, fans of Russel Wright the pottery, fans of architecture and fans of just plain good design should be excited to see the current issue of "Modernism" magazine (Spring 2010), which features a cover story Russel Wright and his home, Dragon Rock.

Also featured in the issue is an interview with Russel & Mary Wright's daughter, Annie Wright, and her experiences growing up in house that was part home, part studio, part lab and a complete architectural masterpiece.

Finally, there is a small piece on the newest Russel Wright venture, which we are most proud of, American Modern by Bauer Pottery.

If you are a fan of Russel Wright, American Modern pottery, beautiful architecture or just plain old good design, go pick up the newest issue of "Modernism."

Russel Wright® American ModernTM Plates on NBC's Today Show

2010-04-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

Patrick Dickson over at Russel Wright Studios directed our attention to a little cameo on today's Today Show on NBC. A stack of Salad Plates in Sea Foam are used in a cooking segment with Hoda Kotb, Kathie Lee Gifford and the Food Network's Melissa D'Arabian. They show up right before minute number four. Try not to be distracted by the Chocolate French Toast.

Here's the clip on Hulu:

If you catch a glimpse of Bauer or Russel Wright Pottery on TV or in the movies, let us know.

Scenes from the March Showroom Sale

2010-03-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

Mike moving fast across the Showroom Floor

It probably wasn't even 10am when this was shot. People showed up early and the rain started coming down, so we couldn't leave the Bauer faithful out in the cold.

T-shirts now available!

The first preview of the Bauer Collection for Home by Sunset. See it all here.

More pitchers coming out from the back room.

Commerce!

The Grilled Cheese Truck stopped by with what else but grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup and tater tots for all the hungry shoppers. Perfect lunch for a rainy day.

See you in April!

Marching On

2010-03-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

It's been two and a half months since we closed the doors on the 2009 Holiday Sale. It seems like we've barely had time to recover and restock and it's already time for the first monthly sale of 2010.

We haven't been resting on our laurels, though. The first half of January was spent fulfilling orders from our online seconds sale. Manufacturing has been in full swing to restock from the holidays and to keep up with new orders. Janek also travelled to New York, in the middle of all the snow storms to show off Bauer, Russel Wright and the new Sunset line at the New York International Gift Show.

Readers of Sunset magazine will have gotten the first glimpse of our newest project. Our contribution to the new "Home by Sunset" line of products includes current Bauer pieces like the Jardinieres and Garden Orbs, as well as new pieces such as the Swirl Pot, the Biltmore, the Canoe and the 24" Oil Jar Fountain. The first pieces are available here. More details to come soon.

If you'll be here in Southern California this coming weekend, March 6 & 7, be sure to stop by the showroom for the sale. All of the details are available over on the Bauer Pottery site, but I will let you know that after the successful visits by the Kogi BBQ and Buttermilk Trucks at the Holiday Sale, we'll be having the Grilled Cheese Truck
stopping at the Showroom on Saturday the sixth. The line for their truck at the recent L.A. Street Food Fest had a wait of over two hours at one point, so don't miss out on what promises to be a much shorter wait.

If you couldn't find what you were looking for at the December sale, be sure to stop on by this weekend. We have plenty of new seconds in stock from both the Bauer Pottery and Russel Wright American Modern lines.

(Top photo: Biltmore pots in Bauer Orange & Aqua. Photo by Andrew Takeuchi / Bottom photo & art courtesy of The Grilled Cheese Truck)

Images from Weekend Two of the Holiday Sale

2009-12-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

Succulents by Tina Maldini

Pet bowls a-plenty for all your pooches.

Janek provides some customer service.

Rain dampened the parking lots, but not the spirits of the Bauer fans who came to shop.

The Buttermilk Truck stopped in to warm up the customers and employees with delicious breakfast treats.

Janek does his best impression of Klippy, the Buttermilk Truck mascot

Buttermilk Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich and Red Velvet Pancake Bites with Chocolate Chips from the Buttermilk Truck

Holiday Sale 2009 - Weekend #2

2009-12-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder that we'll be back again this weekend, December 12 & 13 with more Bauer and more Russel Wright!

We made two trips to the factory and took every last second available and grabbed all the overstock we could find, so there may be some pristine firsts mixed in with those seconds you'll be looking at this weekend.

There's also been a glaze firing since last weekend, so if you're looking for pieces in Mango or Teal, we'll have them.

Also, don't forget to bring your appetite. The Buttermilk Truck will be showing up before we open with yummy breakfast treats. They even put up a nice blog post about they're upcoming visit.

Visit our Holiday Sale page for all the information you'll need for this weekend.

If you missed the sale last week, see below for a small gallery of images from the weekend.

Holiday Sale 2009 - Weekend #1

2009-12-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

Thought you might enjoy some pictures from the first weekend of the sale. We're busy gearing up for weekend two. If you're still Christmas shopping, be sure to stop by. If you're hungry, Buttermilk Truck will be here on Saturday from 8am-noon.

Janek surveys the line moments before we open.

9am and the line starts moving in...

The early bird gets the cereal bowls.

The Kogi BBQ Truck stopped by to feed shoppers and workers alike.
Owen, Gloria and Cindy put in their lunch orders.

The Get Shaved shave ice truck followed Kogi over to the sale, so I got them to make us up one in a #30 Nesting Bowl.

Food Trucks Roll Up to the Bauer Sale

2009-12-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

This year's Holiday Sale will combine one of Los Angeles' oldest institutions, Bauer Pottery, with one of it's newest, the Nouveau Food Truck.

On Saturday, December 5th from noon to 3pm, the most famous purveyor of mobile cuisine in Southern California, the Kogi BBQ Truck, will be parking out front, selling their unique fusion of Korean food and taco truck fare.

If you come out early on the second Saturday of the sale, December 12, you'll be able to try one of the newest entries in the new food truck race, the Buttermilk Truck. They specialize in fun, new takes on breakfast food that appeals at any hour of the day. The Buttermilk Truck will be here from 8am to noon, so come out early and fuel up before a morning of pottery shopping!

Images: Spicy Pork Taco courtesy of Kogi BBQ, Buttermilk Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich courtesy of The Buttermilk Truck Team

Bauer Pottery on NBC in Los Angeles

2009-12-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, Suzanne O'Conner over at BargainsLA.com took some Bauer Pottery over to the local NBC studios for an early morning presentation of shopping deals in Los Angeles.

She sat in with Ted Chen and the rest of the Sunday LA team to talk about great local bargains, including the Bauer Holiday Sale.

Click here for the video.

Thanks Suzanne!

Holiday Sale 2009!

2009-12-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

It's December, so that means that the Holiday Sale is just around the corner!

Visit the Holiday Sale page for all the information you'll need about this year's sale.

We'll have lots of Bauer available and for the first time we'll have the new release of Russel Wright^® American Modern^TM seconds available.

For those of you who can't make it in person, do not despair, we will be making a selection of seconds available online. You will be able to order online beginning at 5pm (PST) on Wednesday, December 16, 2009.

Please note that seconds ordered via the web store will not be shipped until after the holidays.

We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Russel Wright Award Cocktail Buffet & Auction

2009-10-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

If you’ll be in New York in November, consider attending the 10th Annual Russel Wright Award Cocktail Buffet and Auction.

The Russel Wright Award was established to recognize those who continue Wright’s philosophy and legacy in design, architecture, landscape design, the environment and living in harmony with nature.

November 11, 2009
6:00pm - 9:00pm

The Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue (at 103rd Street)
New York, NY 10029

Click here for more information or call 845-424-3812

Click here for tickets.

Design Within Reach Blogs about Russel Wright

2009-09-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

Design Notes, the Design Within Reach blog, just posted a nice piece about both the Russel Wright exhibit at the San Francisco Airport and a visit to Manitoga and the Russel Wright Center. You can read the piece, by writer Gwendolyn Horton, here.

Wright at Home: Modern Lifestyle Design 1930–1965 at the San Francisco Airport Museums continues through October 2009. Though you need to be a ticketed passenger to visit the exhibit, you can contact McKinley Williams at (510) 261.4347 or mckinley@collectmodern.com to schedule a tour or for additional information.

Cookie Jars Available... Finally!

2009-09-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Cookie Jars are now available for order via our online store!

Though we’ve been making them for a while, up until now, the only way to get a Cookie Jar would be to visit one our retailers, come to our Showroom Sale, or just happen to ask if we made a cookie jar. While they are still available those ways, ordering is now as simple as a few clicks.

The Bauer Cookie Jar stands 9 1/2 inches tall, 6 1/2 inches in diameter and is available in 15 colors.

Who doesn’t like cookies?

September Showroom Sale - Last one 'til December

2009-09-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

PLEASE NOTE THE DATES OF THIS MONTH’S SALE!

Saturday & Sunday
September 12 & 13
10am - 5pm

We’ve been doing the monthly sale on the first full weekend of each month, but because of the Labor Day holiday, we’ve pushed the sale to the SECOND weekend in September.

Click here for all of the details.

Feel free to call or email with any questions.

We look forward to seeing you again!

Around the Blogosphere

2009-07-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few recent posts about the new Russel Wright^® American Modern^TM from various blogs:

- Retro To Go is a U.K.-based blog covering retro lifestyle, fashion and design topics.

- Live. Work. Design. is a blog written by Marybeth Hughes of Wisconsin, who works in sales & marketing by day and writes her "lifestyle blog for busy, creative-minded individuals."

- Mellow Monk's Green Tea Blog is written by the folks at Mellow Monk's Japanese Green Tea, who import their tea from "small-scale, independent, family-owned and operated growers in Japan." They're fans of the American Modern^TM Tumbler and use it as a green tea cup.

...and a bonus Bauer post from The Kitchn, the home cooking section of Apartment Therapy, in praise of Cake Plates!

Bon Appétit - August, 2009

2009-07-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

Take a look in the "What to Buy Now" section of the new issue of Bon Appétit for their recommendation of the new Russel Wright^® American Modern^TM Sugar Bowl.

To All You Collectors

2009-05-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

Do you have a collection of Bauer? Did you inherit it from your mother or grandmother? Did you pick through flea markets and yard sales buying pieces for pennies? Have you strained your PayPal account bidding on pieces from eBay? Did you start collecting at the Bauer Holiday Sale three years ago?

Well, we're interested in you. We'd like to hear your stories and see your pictures. Whether you collect vintage Bauer, new Bauer or a combination of both, we'd like to know about you.

We'll present your stories and your pictures here on the Bauer blog. The stories don't have to be long and drawn out, but we're happy to hear any and all details you wish to include.

Write us at blog@bauerpottery.com if you are interested in participating. If you have pictures posted online already, include links. If you are emailing pictures, send one or two samples first and if we need more we'll let you know.

RUSSEL WRIGHT’S AMERICAN MODERN by BAUER POTTERY

2009-04-17T17:03:00.001-07:00

We’ve teased you for a while, but it’s finally here.

Head over to our the Bauer Pottery homepage and you’ll be able to view and shop for the new line of Russel Wright’s American Modern by Bauer Pottery.

We’re offering 14 styles of American Modern in five gorgeous colors: Coral, Chartreuse, Sea Foam, Granite and White.

After you've had a look around, come back here and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Spring!

2009-04-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

What can we say? It's already springtime and we're just getting to our second blog post of the year. We've been busy!

After briefly decompressing from the holidays, we jumped right into the the new year trying to replenish our shelves and start on our big project for 2009: Launching the new Russel Wright American Modern line.

Things are going along nicely with the new line. It made it's debut at the New York and San Francisco gift shows, where customers new and old were very excited to see it. The new American Modern by Bauer Pottery will be available starting in April. Stay tuned to this page and our email list for the launch.

We also kept ourselves busy in our newly remodeled Atwater Village showroom. For those of you who had visited in the past for the Holiday Sale, it's the same location but we've gussied it up a bit. We also had our first sale outside of the holiday season back at the beginning of this month.

We'll be opening up on the first full weekend of each month (except a few selected weekends that coincide with holidays) throughout the year. The March sale was very well attended, thanks in no small part to a piece that appeared in the Los Angeles Times Home Section.

Our next sale will be this coming Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5. For all of the details, please visit our Showroom Sale page.

Keep an eye out here for the next few weeks for more info on the new Russel Wright pottery, more showroom sales and other news from inside the factory.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-07T17:45:00.000-08:00

We're only seven days in, so I think New Year greetings are still appropriate.

For those of you interested, the online Holiday Sale is now closed. Shopping ended on Monday, January 5 at 5pm PST.

Thanks again to everyone who visited us in person or shopped online during the holidays. Your loyalty and dedication to Bauer Pottery is much appreciated, especially when times are tough for so many.

For those of you who shopped and are anxiously awaiting your pottery, please be patient.

Though we took orders staring on December 22, we were closed between Christmas and the weekend after New Years, so nothing started to ship until this past Monday. As we mentioned in the sale instructions, this year we would not be shipping in time for the holidays.

Orders are going out and will continue to do so for at least a couple weeks. Everyone should have their new Bauer in their hands no later than the end of the month.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call, otherwise keep an eye on your doorstep for the UPS man.

* * *

Next up for us will be the gift shows in New York and San Francisco. We're hard at work to get ourselves ready and are excited to give buyers a first-hand look at the new Russel Wright pieces at these shows.

Stay tuned here and we'll give you some more behind the scenes looks before the debut of the new American Modern.

Online Seconds Sale - UPDATE

2008-12-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

The online seconds sale is now live!

Again, we apologize for the delay and we thank you very much for your patience.

To shop online for seconds, please visit the Holiday Sale page and read all of the information on the sale before proceeding on to the store.

Thanks again to everyone who visited us in person for the Holiday Sale and to all of those who have already shopped and are now shopping the online sale.

All of this excitement is not just the celebration of the end of 2008. Please continue to visit us here at the Bauer Pottery Company blog for more exciting news in 2009, not the least of which will be the launch of the new line of Russel Wright American Modern pottery.

Online Sale Delayed

2008-12-22T10:33:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know, due to technical difficulties, we have had to delay the launch of the online seconds sale. We hope to have it up and running by 5pm PST today, Monday, December 22.

An email went out to everyone on the email list advising them of this delay, but we know that not everyone is subscribed to the list, so we wanted to post something here as well.

If you believe that you are subscribed to our email list and you did not receive this notice, please check your spam folders and be sure that you have "lists@bauerpottery.com" on your whitelist.

We thank you in advance for your patience and rest assured that the sale will open shortly.

The Holiday Sale - 2008

2008-12-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

Moments before the doors opened for day 1 of the sale

Just a quick reminder that this weekend, we will be hosting weekend two of our annual Holiday Sale.

Come on down to our Atwater Village warehouse, which has been redesigned since last year into the new Bauer Pottery Showroom.

As always we have great deals on seconds and since we have such a large selection, we are not stocking any firsts this year.

If you need more information about the sale, please visit our Holiday Sale page.

Now, I need to get back to work so we'll be ready for all of you tomorrow!

Moments after the doors opened

New American Modern

2008-11-21T16:25:00.000-08:00

If you’re reading this, you probably got here by way of the Bauer Pottery home page. If that’s the case, you may have already seen the very exciting announcement that Bauer Pottery has partnered with Russel Wright Studios and Annie Wright, Russel’s daughter, to reproduce a collection of pottery based on Russel’s American Modern line.

The only bad news here is that all you fans of Bauer Pottery and Russel Wright won’t be able to get any pieces in your hot little hands until Spring of 2009. The announcement is a lot like one of those movie trailers you saw in the theatre last June that ends with “Opens Christmas Day” or worse “Coming Summer 2009.”

Well to fill the time between next Spring and now, we’ll be posting up some stories and images of the line as it’s being developed. You’ll get an early look at the designs and colors won’t be in stores for another four months.

If this is the first you’re hearing about the new Russel Wright collaboration with Bauer, what we can say so far is that the line will consist of thirteen pieces in four classic colors: Chartreuse, coral, seafoam and granite. We’ll be working hard to match the new glazes to that of the vintage line and you’ll get to see some of that process here.

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To kick off this journey, let’s take a look at some of the earliest steps in the process of creating reproductions from vintage pieces. The first pictures show both original pieces and early steps in the models of the sugar bowl and creamer.

Vintage Russel Wright American Modern Creamer on the left and the model for the reproduction emerging from the block of plaster on the right.

Vintage Russel Wright American Modern Sugar Bowl sans lid and beginnings of a model of same.

Our model maker uses the original pieces as a guide as he crafts the new models from a block of plaster.

In the following pictures are models for the pitcher and the lid to the sugar bowl. The new models are made about 8-10% larger than the size we want them to turn out, in order to accommodate for shrinkage in the drying and firing phases.

Model for a new American Modern Pitcher and a vintage American Modern Pitcher. It's a little hard to see, but take note that the model is solid, not hollow like a finished piece. The pieces that will be slip cast, do not need to be hollow, but more on that when we get to casting pieces.

A vintage Creamer, next to the model for a new Sugar Bowl lid, next to a vintage Sugar Bowl lid

The finished models are then used to make the master mold from which the first samples are made. Any adjustments to the model can be made at that time before making the block and case. We'll get you some pictures of this part of the process and post them up next time.

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Coming up: Slip Casting, Pressing, Greenware, Bisque Firing, Glazing and more!

Oil Jar Fountain

2008-11-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

Patrick, a local customer here in Southern California, sent us these pictures of recently completed fountain project, featuring a 22 inch Oil Jar in Bauer Orange.

We've sold quite a few Oil Jars that we've heard were destined to become fountains, but we rarely get to see the finished results.

If you have an image that you'd like to share with us, please feel free to send it along and perhaps we'll feature it here on the Bauer Blog!

A vintage Swirl Pot shares the spotlight with the Oil Jar fountain.

Sunset Magazine - November, 2008

2008-10-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

If you squint and turn your head just so, you'll see Bauer Pottery show up in the pages of Sunset Magazine once again!

Though small in size, the endorsement as one of editor-in-chief Katie Tamony's picks for November is quite an honor. Look for us on the bottom right hand corner of page 10.

And here's another gorgeous image of the Bauer Orange Indian Bowl from that same shoot. Click the image for a larger view.

Photos of Bauer Pottery by Ebbe Row Yovino-Smith for Sunset

Sunset Magazine - September, 2008

2008-09-05T16:33:00.000-07:00

Someone over at Sunset magazine must love us. This is the third time this year that Bauer has made an appearance in the magazine. This time we made the cover with our newest piece, the Garden Orb.

While not reproduction of any piece from the vintage Bauer line, the Garden Orbs are the latest addition to the Bauer 2000 line and we think that they fit in nicely with the feel and style of all of our classic Bauer designs.

Check out the current issue of Sunset as well as our site for more on the new Garden Orbs.

New Prices & a New Item

2008-08-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

A new edition of the Bauer newsletter has been posted with some pricing changes, both up and down, and a link to a new item.

Check out the newsletter here.

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Also, if you have a subscription to Sunset magazine or happen to be around a news stand this weekend, you can see that new item mentioned above on the cover!

Bauer Pottery at the San Francisco Gift Show

2008-07-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

If you are in the trade and will be at the San Francisco International Gift Show this weekend, stop by and say "hello" to Janek.

We'll be in the North Hall of the Moscone Center in the Accent on Design section in booth #5813.

See you in the city by the bay!

Hallmark Magazine, Things We Make Blog - July 3, 2008

2008-07-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Wow... looks like the Water Carafe and Tumblers are popular!

Amy Palanjian, who writes the "Things We Make" blog at the Hallmark Magazine site has also featured the two pieces in today's post.

There's a nice image of the Carafe and Tumblers in bright colors along with a recent shot of the company's owner, Janek Boniecki. Though that picture was shot on the occasion of the Highland Citrus Festival, we'd like to point out that Janek comes into the factory dressed like that every day.

Cookie Magazine Blog - June 24, 2008

2008-06-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

The folks over at Cookie Magazine's blog have been kind enough to include us as "something wonderful" in their "Daily Finds" post.

They feature a Water Carafe in Federal Blue and a Water Tumbler in Dove Grey.

These are not available yet through the Bauer Pottery web store, but you can order them if you give a call on the toll free number: (888) 213-0800

Photo by Cookie Magazine

Gourmet Magazine - July, 2008

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Photo by Romulo Yanes for Gourmet

A Berry Bowl and Soup Plate show up in July's issue of Gourmet magazine.

Click here for a shot of the pieces on the Gourmet web site in their "Get the Look" section.

Rare Vintage Piece Brings High Price on eBay

2008-06-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

Detail from eBay page (click image for full-size view)

In all the excitement over the article in the Los Angeles Times (see previous post), we haven't gotten around to mentioning a big sale that went down at the end of last week.

A vintage Bauer Cigarette Holder in Jade Green sold for $2,225.00 on eBay. We here at the Bauer Pottery Company saw the auction earlier in the week and tossed in our two cents (or possibly a little more) to see if we could snag this very rare piece that we'd not seen before.

By the time the auction had ended, the price had shot way past our maximum bid. The winners of the auction are Dan & Donna Edwards over at Spring Creek Pottery, who have been a good customers, selling the Bauer 2000 line for many years now.

Contacted about their new acquisition, they sounded like proud new parents:

Dan & Donna Edwards, owners of Spring Creek Pottery and avid vintage Bauer pottery collectors, are very excited with their newest acquisition: a Jade Green 1930’s Cigarette jar. It will be proudly displayed next to a very rare Bauer single bee Honey Jar and #9 white mixing bowl!

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It's always interesting to see something new, or at least new to us, pop up like this. It did get us thinking about the utility of this piece. Would a smoker care if there was lead in the glaze of his or her cigarette holder?

Full eBay item page (click image for full-size view)

Bauer Pottery in the Los Angeles Times

2008-06-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Southern California Area, take a look at today's Los Angeles Times Business section for a nice profile on the Bauer Pottery Company of Los Angeles.

If you're outside the area, click here for an online version of the article.

photo by Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times

Cat Bowl

2008-06-12T14:42:00.001-07:00

Customer Rebecca points out that we may be making more than one kind of cat bowl.

Matisse relaxing in a Pasta Bowl.

Sunset Magazine - June 2008

2008-05-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Keen-eyed Bauer fans may have already seen a little flash of color on the cover of the June 2008 Sunset magazine in the form of a 6" Flower Pot in Chartreuse. The same image makes an appearance on page 56 of the magazine.

For those of you not adept at Where's Waldo or spotting the rabbit head, we've blown up the small section of the image where the Flower Pot appears.

It took slightly less than 70 years for Bauer to make a return appearance to the cover of Sunset. Take a look at this piece of history from the August 1939 issue of Sunset magazine.

Vintage Bauer - Bean Pot #2

2008-05-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Mary wrote us inquiring about this piece, which she picked up at a garage sale.

Looking through a couple books, I found images of similar pieces, though not the exact same one.

Jeffrey B. Snyder's Beautiful Bauer: A Pictorial Study with Prices has images of similar pieces (p.44), but they either have two handles or no handles at all. Both styles are from the Plainware line, from the early 1930s. The double-handled piece was available in 4.5", 5.5" and 6" sizes. The version with no handles is pictured in the 4.5" size.

Jack Chipman's Collector's Encyclopedia of Bauer Pottery has an image of the double-handled piece (p.38) that is described as a 2-quart Bean Pot, which looks to be about 5.5" to 6" tall. Chipman notes that though the Plainware line pre-dated the Ringware line, the Ringware was so popular that by 1941 only a few Plainware pieces were still in production. Among them was the Bean Pot.

All that said, I still don't have a reference for a single-handled Bean Pot. Do any of you collectors out there have anything to add about this piece? If so, please click on the "Comments" link below and share it with us all.

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At some point in the near future, we will be adding a separate discussion page, but until then, feel free to email us or add comments with your queries.

Welcome!

2008-04-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

It’s 2008, so every company from a one-man start-up to multi-national corporation has a blog, so why not a pottery company with over 100 years of history?

With this first real post, we’re happy to introduce you to the newest aspect of the Bauer Pottery Company of Los Angeles. Bauer Pottery has had a presence on the web for several years at BauerPottery.com, though that is primarily a retail and general information site.

These pages will be more about what we do at Bauer on a day to day basis: What’s going into and coming out of the kilns; what new pieces are being created; that sort of thing.

It will also be a place for you as a Bauer fan and collector to be able to interact more with us and with one another. Down the line we’d like to post information about what you are collecting, where you find your pottery, both new and vintage, and how you use and/or display it all.

While it’s nice to read about Bauer Pottery, we feel that it’s even more fun to see, so we’ll be posting lots of images here, drawing from both our Flickr page and from your submissions. For the time being, hold onto to all your stories and images, but we’ll be asking for them soon, so have them ready.

What’s New at Bauer

Many of you may know the history of the original J.A. Bauer Pottery Company, which can be traced back to the late 1800s in Paducah, KY. The original company moved to Los Angeles in the early 1900s, created many popular and well-imitated lines of pottery and ultimately went out of business in 1962. (Yes, this does give short shrift to the history of Bauer, but I’m trying to get us all to a point about what’s new!)

The story of the new Bauer starts in 1998 when collector Janek Boniecki revitalized the trademark and began reproducing popular pieces from the ringware line of the 1920s and 30s. You can get a brief overview of this story in a profile on Janek published in the November 2002 issue of Entrepreneur magazine.

Since that time, Janek has been contracting to third-party manufactures to have the pottery made. As of October of last year, Janek purchased the factory of California Design Works, the company that had been making the bulk of the pottery since 2002.

With full control of the production process, we hope to increase the quality, variety and availability of Bauer to all of you. If we’ve heard one complaint over the years, it’s been about the availability of a particular piece or a particular color. Hopefully, that will be a thing of the past.

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Well, we could go on and on about what’s new and what’s coming up, but if we told you everything now, you wouldn’t come back for more. Check back, we hope to post relatively frequently. If you have any suggestions or questions, please drop us a line at blog @ bauerpottery.com.

Coming Soon...

2007-04-04T16:43:00.000-07:00

Check back here or subscribe to our mailing list so that you'll be notified of the launch of the Bauer Pottery Company blog.